Buttermilk Quail with Peas & Lovage

This is a delicious, upmarket take on Southern Fried Chicken. Quail has delicate lean flesh, which thrives in the buttermilk marinade. Lovage is a common wild herb that shoots up in the late spring. It is best described as somewhere between celery tops, parsley and fennel. Combining the spicy quail with garden peas, lovage and oniony purple chive flowers, we have a delightful June dish

Ingredients For 4

4 Quail, breasts only
400ml Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 
1 teaspoon English Mustard Powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
200g Plain Flour
1 tablespoon Onion Powder 
1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika 
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper 
400ml Sunflower Oil
500g shelled Garden Peas 
A knob of Butter 
Small Bunch of Lovage leaves, shredded
Chive Flowers

Method

·  Cut the breasts off the quail, I would always make a stock with the remainder of the birds but that is up to you. Cut the breasts in halves, place into a bowl.

·  Mix the buttermilk with cayenne, mustard powder and salt. Pour it over the quail, leave in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 6 hours.

·  In a shallow dish mix the flour, onion powder and paprika together, season well with salt and pepper.

·  Lift the Quall pieces out of the marinade and coat them in the seasoned flour, on all sides.

· Heat the oil in a heavy based pan over a moderate heat. Using tongs, fry the quail for a couple of minutes on each side. Transfer the breasts to a roasting tin ready to finish cooking in the oven.

·  Blanch the peas in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, add a knob of butter, stir in the shredded lovage. Keep warm.

·  When you are ready to serve, pop the quail pieces into an Air-fryer or preheated oven at 180ºC for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to individual dishes, spoon over the pea mixture and finish with chive flowers.